The Cure to All Ailments
by passivestrength
Summary: When Kagome catches a nasty cold, Sango and Miroku send InuYasha back to the present with her to help nurse her back to health. Only, he ends up catching her virus, too. Hilarity and overbearing Inu/Kag fluff and smut ensue. FULL DESCRIPTION INSIDE. ON HIATUS. I WILL RETURN TO THIS STORY ONE DAY.
1. Strike Down

(A/N:) Hello, hello! Yes, I am back with yet another InuYasha tale! And of course, it features our favorite little lovebirds Kagome and InuYasha :) I've had this idea for months...and then finally decided halfway through a lecture in my boring-as-hell AP Economics class that I should start writing it. Yes, I am an excellent role model for other high school students (Okay, that was sarcastic, but...really. I am. Just not when it comes to paying attention to lectures haha.) Anyway, you know the drill! Please read and PLEASE review :D You have no idea how important and meaningful reviews are to us authors. They make our day (at least, they always make my day). And if you have the chance or interest, please check out my other InuYasha stories: Innocence, and Between Best Friends. Shameless advertising, I know. I'm an actress, what can I say? Enjoy! Oh! And Merry early Christmas to those that celebrate it! I'm stoked; three days left!

STORY DESCRIPTION: (PLEASE READ, if you didn't read the above. It's okay, just a bunch of my rambling). When Kagome catches a nasty cold and fever, Sango and Miroku send InuYasha back to the present with her to help nurse her back to health. There's only one problem; he doesn't know the first thing about being a gentle and caring nurse! Not to mention that he doesn't understand nearly everything from her era. Hot baths? Stove? Laundry? And, it certainly doesn't help that he's stuck figuring this out on his own, as Kagome's family isn't home. And just when he starts to get the hang of things...he gets struck down by her virus, himself. Hilarity ensues, as does much Inu/Kag fluffiness and some occasional smut. Rated M for language and possible sexual content. POSSIBLE, because I'm trying to keep this as in-character and canon as possible. I'd place it about where Innocence is...maybe a few weeks/a month after, so a good six or seven months after the InuYasha story begins. So, since it's post-Innocence, InuYasha and Kagome are kind of together; they've kissed and know that they are in love with each other…but they're not completely a couple. Basically, they're just in-canon as they are the entire manga; unofficially together.

* * *

><p>The Cure to All Ailments<p>

Chapter 1: Strike Down

"H-hey InuYasha, wait for me!" Kagome called after the half-demon as he sprinted ahead with the others. She'd been having a difficult time keeping up with them the past couple of days, which didn't surprise her as she was still extremely exhausted from the sleep she'd lost studying for last week's midterms. That, plus the fact that they'd just escaped from another near-death encounter with Naraku, and she was so not a runner, was enough to max out her energy scale.

"Come on, Kagome!" InuYasha simply yelled back, gesturing over his shoulder with an impatient wave that he wasn't impressed by her frailty.

"I'm trying," she huffed, pushing herself to run even faster. Her breaths were growing short and ragged, and her throat was beginning to hurt as she gasped for air. She tried desperately to suck in a deep breath, and her throat constricted, a painful cough forcing free instead. She abruptly stopped running as the coughing worsened, but her inertia was too great and she tripped at the sudden halt, falling hard on her side into the rough dirt path. There was the nauseating sound of a body being dragged across a jagged surface as she skidded a few feet down the rocky path, and one set of animalistic ears twitched frantically as they heard each sickening movement.

"Kagome!"

InuYasha instantly rushed to her side, carefully but hastily pulling her back to her feet. She grimaced at the pain and collapsed against him, whatever energy that was left in her instantly extinguished.

"Fuck, Kagome," he exclaimed in surprise as her fiery skin pressed against him. "You're burning up!"

"I am?" she asked deliriously, another rough cough breaking free.

"Aww hell, you're sick," he said, growing panic in his voice. "You're really sick! Why didn't you say anything?"

She gave him a mild glare, but that was all she could manage. "Because you wouldn't listen to me."

"Oh, so this is my fault, is it?" he snapped, still sounding frenzied. "Well then, what do I do?"

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Sango asked breathlessly as she and Miroku came running up to the pair.

"She's sick," InuYasha answered for her, giving Miroku a sharp look as he placed his palm on Kagome's forehead. "And injured."

"My, my," the monk said, pity in his voice as he shook his head. "That's quite a fever you have."

"A fever?" Sango repeated. "Oh my. I've had those before. They're dreadful. Once I was sick for nearly three months." She shuddered at the memory. "Father and Kohaku had to remain at my bedside every day to care for me."

"Three months?" InuYasha's voice cracked as it reached a much higher octave.

"InuYasha," Kagome murmured between coughs. "Calm down, please. I'm fine."

"Like hell you are."

"I've had fevers before, too. I'll be back to normal in a couple of days," she tried to assure him. "Remember, the medicine in my era is much more advanced."

"That is very true," Sango agreed with a nod. "The cures you always bring back are quite remarkable. I'm sure I would have recovered much more quickly had I been able to use some of your medicines."

"Still," Miroku said solemnly, "you are very sick. You need to rest. We can afford to stop for several days once we reach the village."

"What? Are you fucking insane?" InuYasha snapped. "Where is all this extra time you always mention? We have to keep moving before Naraku strikes again."

"Sango was able to manage a substantial blow against him," Miroku continued evenly, keeping his voice low. "I doubt he'll be on the hunt for at least a week or two. Besides, Lady Kagome's health is our primary concern. Or do you not agree?"

"Of course I do," he growled lividly. "Her safety is my responsibility, and that includes her health."

"Well then, what are we standing around for?" Miroku questioned. "We must reach the village without delay."

"Thank you, Miroku," Kagome said with sincerity. "I didn't know you cared so much."

"Yeah, almost _too_ much," InuYasha agreed, his voice suddenly menacingly low. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were in love with her or something."

"Oh no, not at all!" the lecherous monk laughed nervously. "Lady Kagome certainly is a beautiful young flower, but…well…as that goes…"

He was abruptly cut off from his stammering by a swift blow from Sango's boomerang bone. "Don't hurt yourself trying so hard," she snapped, hitting him again when he resumed his laughter.

"I don't have time for this," InuYasha grumbled, crouching down and glancing back at Kagome. "Get on, Kagome. Let's go."

"Wait," Sango said, shifting her attention to the pair. "Kirara can carry us all. We'd get to the village must faster."

"And listen to you two bicker the entire flight? I don't think so," InuYasha retorted, standing up once Kagome was securely on his back, her arms wrapped around his neck for extra support. "Besides, the skies are far too dangerous right now, and we're only a few hours away. We can make it to the village by nightfall if we move fast."

Sango gave a curt nod and slung her boomerang bone across her back as Kirara jumped up into her arms. "Very well. Then let's go."

"Wait for me!" Miroku called as they began to run off without him. "C'mon you guys, you need to learn to lighten up."

"Only when you learn to be serious," InuYasha sniped. "Now get a move on. Our time is limited."

"InuYasha…" Kagome mumbled faintly.

"Try to sleep, Kagome," he told her. "It'll be a few hours. I'll protect you."

Kagome had no idea how she was supposed to sleep on InuYasha's back as he ran at high speeds, but her body was exhausted, and her subconscious seemed to trust him even more fully than her raging mind, because she was fast asleep within minutes.

* * *

><p>"Now what?"<p>

Kagome's eyes fluttered open at InuYasha's angry voice. She blinked, her head clouded and heavy, as she broke free from her slumber and tried to gain her bearings. She was very warm, and the world was no longer racing by as it had when she fell asleep. She was laying down, on the wooden floor of Kaede's hut in the village, and the soft material of a kimono was stretched over her. No, not a kimono, she realized upon closer inspection. It was InuYasha's haori. The familiar scent and feel of it were comforting as she lay there, remembering her sickness as it suddenly came back full force.

"Kagome needs rest," Kaede could be heard, her subdued voice sharp. "And stop that yelling. You'll wake her up."

"Too late." InuYasha had noticed Kagome begin to stir, and as she opened her eyes and met his gaze he frowned.

"H-how long have I been out?" she mumbled, her voice sounding exhausted and pitifully congested.

"We got here almost an hour ago," he told her, going over to her and crouching down to her level. He let out a sigh as he pressed his palm to her forehead. "You're even warmer than before."

"How are you feeling, Kagome?" Kaede asked her quietly.

"I've definitely been better," she tried to reply good-humoredly. After a moment's pause, she sat up, instantly releasing a gasp of pain. "Ouch."

"What's wrong?" InuYasha demanded, watching her anxiously as she pressed a hand to her side.

"It's her wound," Kaede answered, also watching as Kagome lifted her shirt enough to reveal the thick gauze wrapped around her lower ribcage. "You must have taken quite a vicious fall, Kagome. I washed and wrapped it best as I could, and you slept through it all, bless you. I would suggest washing it again soon, though."

"Ouch," Kagome repeated, running her fingers along the gauze. "I don't remember it hurting that much when it happened." She looked around the room, suddenly recognizing something. "Where are the others?"

"Outside," InuYasha answered, shrugging his haori back on as she handed it to him. "The old hag told them to keep their distance."

"The last thing any of us need is more sickness," Kaede chided, and InuYasha snorted.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"She's right, InuYasha," Kagome said weakly. "I would hate to get anyone else sick. You should probably stay away from me, too."

"Feh. Don't insult me," he retorted, ignoring her when she gave him an exasperated look. "I have demon blood, remember? I don't get sick like you fragile humans."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that, InuYasha," Kaede corrected. "After all, you are only half demon."

"Shut up."

Kaede sighed deeply. "In any case, Kagome should go home where she can be properly cared for. And I would suggest as soon as possible."

"And we think you should go with her, InuYasha," Miroku said, suddenly appearing in the doorway with Sango. "It's for the best."

"What in hell's name are you talking about?" he snapped.

"Well you yourself just announced that it's impossible for you to get sick," the monk reminded him smugly. "Besides, we can't do much fighting or shard hunting without Lady Kagome, so we could all use this time as that break I suggested earlier."

"And like I said before, you're out of your fucking mind."

"Besides, isn't the new moon approaching?" he added, ignoring the hanyou's angry comment. "If my calculations are correct, it should be tomorrow night. Best to stay out of danger's way, don't you agree?"

"Now you're really pushing it," InuYasha growled. "Do you need a reminder of how much damage I can do, new moon or not?"

"InuYasha, we know you're tired like the rest of us, so you don't need to try to deny it," Sango inputted. "It isn't showing weakness. The past two weeks have been absolutely nonstop. I think Miroku is right, for once."

"Should I be flattered or hurt, Sango?" the monk replied in response to the last part of her statement.

"Neither," she said sharply, giving him a glare that warned him that this was not the time for his games.

Miroku sighed but then turned his attention to Kagome. "Lady Kagome, would you mind terribly if we sent InuYasha back with you? He's of absolutely no use to us here."

"What's that supposed to mean?" InuYasha barked before she could answer, flexing his claws threateningly.

"Only that you'd bring nothing but negative energy to us all, which is true," Miroku shrugged. "Whenever Lady Kagome isn't around you only sulk and snap at anything that dares to breathe. We know you love her, InuYasha, but you could choose a much more pleasant way of showing it."

"Why I ought to—"

"InuYasha, sit!" Kagome yelled before he could take a slash at Miroku. The hanyou slammed against the floor with a deafening crash, followed by an angry groan.

"What the hell was that for?" InuYasha demanded as he pulled himself up from the ground, giving Kagome a frustrated look.

"You need to learn to control your temper!" she scolded him, trying to sound serious despite how congested her voice was.

"Only if he learns to control his tongue," he retorted, shifting his glower to the monk.

"Oh, InuYasha, will you ever learn?" Miroku simply sighed.

"He's right, you know," Kagome agreed. "You're far too sensitive, InuYasha."

"I am not!"

"Children, please," Sango interjected at last, elbowing her unofficially official significant other in the ribs and shooting the hanyou a disapproving stare. "Can't you two blockheads see that you're putting extra strain on Kagome? You want her to feel better, right?"

"Oh, no, Sango," Kagome said frantically. "I'm fine. I'm used to them."

"But that shouldn't excuse their stupidity," the demon slayer said in exasperation. "And you sound _terrible_. Go home. Now."

Kagome gave her a small smile of resignation. "Only if it won't put us in a dangerous position."

"We can afford to lose a few days," Miroku reaffirmed. "Never mind what InuYasha says. He doesn't know what he's talking about."

"Feh," InuYasha sulked, tossing his long silver hair back over his shoulder. Kagome was pleased to see that he didn't try to fight back, though.

"Okay…" she agreed finally, giving up as another coughing fit overcame her.

"InuYasha, you take her," Sango commanded him. "Make sure she gets home alright."

"And stay with her until she's better," the monk added, giving him a pleading look. "Please."

"I too believe that it would be wise for you to go with her, InuYasha," Kaede said with finality.

"Fine, I'll go!" he snapped, jumping to his feet. "Damn it! Since you're all so desperate to be rid of me."

"Are you not happy to have all this time to spend alone with Lady Kagome?" Miroku questioned, eyebrows raised. "How unusual."

"Shut up!" InuYasha barked, helping Kagome up and throwing her backpack on. "Let's go, Kagome."

He picked her up the moment they were outside and began running towards the forest where the Bone-Eaters Well resided, ignoring the final remarks Miroku had continued to shout after him and pushing past Shippo and Kirara where they were playing in the yard.

"That damn monk had better learn to watch his mouth," InuYasha grumbled to no one in particular as he ran, Kagome tucked securely into his chest. He'd recognized that she was too weak to hang onto his back now, so he hadn't even considered it.

"He only teases you because he cares about you," she told him now, her voice showing her current weakness.

"Well I care about keeping him in line," the hanyou growled before releasing an angry breath. The well came into sight and he slowed down, coming to a stop before it. He glanced down at the girl in his arms and his face softened. "But right now, the only thing I care about is making you healthy again."

Kagome smiled up at him in gratitude, nodding before a small coughing fit overcame her. Making sure she was safe in his grasp, InuYasha jumped up and into the well without a moment's hesitation, and they were abruptly swallowed into the dark nothingness of the portal as they left the feudal era behind.

"You'll feel better soon, Kagome. I promise."


	2. Rising Temperatures

(A/N:) Kaboom! Finally done with this chapter; was NOT expecting it to be so long. I thought about breaking it up into two chapters, but I realized it all just flowed together so nicely as one and I wasn't about to shatter that like Kagome shattered the Shikon Jewel! (Yeah...I apologize. My jokes are only amusing to me.) Also, I'm exceptionally lazy, so I have NOT thoroughly read through and edited this chapter yet, but I will at some point in the near future. I apologize. Well anyway, please read and review! PLEASE review. No one really reviews anymore...not like they used to. But I can't be one to talk because I've become a slacker myself. But I'm officially making it one of my New Year's resolutions to write more reviews! And side note: the Chinese New Year is next week! Year of the Dragon :D For those of you that read/watch Fruits Basket, you know who that means - Hatori! My favorite little seahorse :3 And this week was my finals week for the first semester of school! Boom! I am now officially halfway through my senior year of high school. I'm content with that. Anyway, you know the drill! Once more, please read and review! And please PLEASE read my other story 'Innocence' if you get the chance, because it really defines where Kagome and InuYasha are at this point, since I'm basing this story several weeks after the events of 'Innocence'. Thanks!

-passivestrength

Slight warning for this chapter: Blah blah blah you're all familiar with the language. I don't swear at all in person, but InuYasha's got a wicked foul mouth in the original manga and it's sure fun to write! Also, some heavy petting near the end of the chapter. There's more than one reason it's called Rising Temperatures! Okay, I'm done.

Disclaimer: I do not in any way shape or form own InuYasha or any of its characters. They are property of Rumiko Takahashi. However, no one can stop me from calling my cat Kirara, pretending to be Kikyo, Sango, and Kagome, or forcing my best friend and I to stop fighting over InuYasha, Miroku, and Kouga like a pack of wolves. Heh. Wolves. Kouga. Oh, I kill myself.

* * *

><p>Chapter 2: Rising Temperatures<p>

It was always strange for InuYasha, being in the present. It didn't feel right to him. The smell was always the first thing he noticed as he stood at the bottom of the well, as he did now. It was so…different. The feudal era smelled of nature: trees and dirt and warm breezes, rice fields and fresh water brooks. Kagome's time was stuffy, the air often as gray as the sky apart from those rare days of sunshine mostly during the summer. It was too loud for him here, too. Only at the Higurashi shrine and the surrounding property did he feel relatively at ease; only in Kagome's room surrounded by her comforting scent did he feel completely at ease. The air felt calm and quiet as he carried Kagome out of the well, though, and the only sound was the gentle music of the chimes hanging outside the well house. It was surprisingly peaceful.

As he carried her across the yard from the shrine to her house, a train passed by in the distance, its noise unsettling to InuYasha but calming and familiar to Kagome. She sighed at the small comfort of being home in her sickness, remember all the times she'd been kept in bed growing up as her mom tended to her and cared for her. She felt a warmth spread across her chest as she thought ahead to the rest of the evening: her warm bed and her mother's cooking and medicine, and a nice, hot bath.

"Thank you for bringing me home," she said to InuYasha, breaking the comfortable silence they'd slipped into.

"I didn't have much of a choice," he scoffed, before sighing after a pause. "But it's my pleasure. You know that I don't mind. It's awfully quiet right now though, huh?"

"Mmm." She nodded against his chest. "It's about dinner time…everyone's probably just eating."

They were silent again until they reached the front door to the house. Kagome was surprised when they learned it was locked, and she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Mom always leaves the door unlocked until bedtime," she mumbled, a new and sinking thought occurring to her. "Unless no one's home…"

InuYasha tried calling into the house, and after a minute of no response, Kagome frowned. "Put me down. I've got a key in my backpack."

She fumbled with the pouches to her overstuffed bag once he'd complied to her request, and he watched her with wary eyes until she produced a small silver key and held it up with a look of accomplishment. As they entered the front hallway and Kagome kicked off her shoes, she noticed that no lights were on.

"Hello?" she called weakly. "Mom? Souta? Grandpa?"

Again, there was no response. She felt her heart begin to sink as she shuffled into the kitchen and collapsed in one of the chairs surrounding a small wooden table.

"Why is no one here?" she whined. Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes widened in sudden realization. "Oh! I hope nothing's happened!"

InuYasha simply watched as she hurried to the phone, limping due to the pain in her side, and frantically dialed a number. He still didn't understand telephones at all, despite Kagome having tried to explain them to him multiple times before.

"Mom?" Kagome said now as she spoke into the contraption.

On the other end, her mother answered in recognition. "Oh, Kagome! I wasn't expecting you to be home."

"I wasn't, either."

"Oh sweetie, you sound terrible." Her voice took on that overbearing but sweet maternal concern. "Are you sick? Are you alone? I'm sorry I'm not there!"

"I'm fine, Mom. Well, no, I am sick. Really sick." She started coughing, as if to further prove her point. "But I'm okay. InuYasha's here with me. Where are you, anyway?"

"Oh! Tell him hi, would you?" her mother answered. "And I'm afraid I'm at the hospital right now."

Kagome's heart skipped another beat. "What? Why? Did something happen?"

"Your grandfather's gotten food poisoning again. He'll be fine, but I'm staying the night to watch over him. Souta's staying here, too." She paused. "At least, that was the plan. I hate leaving you home alone when you sound so miserable. I can be home in less than an hour if you need me, honey."

"No, it's fine," Kagome said quickly, feeling relief wash over her. "I know how to take care of myself, and Grandpa needs you more. I'll just see you tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" her mother asked worriedly.

"Uh huh. I'll just make some soup for dinner and take some medicine. It'll be great."

"Well…alright. But if you need anything, please call me."

"Of course, Mom. Goodnight," Kagome sighed.

"Goodnight, Kagome. I love you. Feel better, and stay warm."

"Yes, mother. I love you, too."

She hung up the phone and turned to InuYasha who was staring at her expectantly. "My grandpa's in the hospital with food poisoning and Mom and Souta are staying with him."

He frowned. "Then who's gonna take care of you?"

She shrugged. "Me. You. I'm usually pretty good on my own."

"What can I do?" he asked, noticing her response.

She stared at him for a long moment. "I don't really know. I mean, you don't know how to use most of the things from the present so it's probably best if I handle things for now." She pursed her lips before burying her mouth into her elbow as another coughing fit struck. "But you can watch and learn."

So InuYasha sat perched on the kitchen counter and watched as, despite her extreme exhaustion and illness, Kagome threw on an apron and prepared a hearty soup for herself and ramen noodles for him. He felt guilty that he couldn't do much to help her and thought back to what Miroku had said about him being useless in the feudal era without Kagome.

_Feh. Well I'm not too much more useful here with her, _he thought to himself.

"Okay InuYasha, eat up," Kagome said, breaking him out of his gloom. She thrust a bowl of delicious ramen and a pair of chopsticks at him before picking up her own bowl of soup and a spoon. They moved over to the table and ate in a relative silence, as Kagome found it was beginning to put a strain on her to use her voice. She downed a glass of water and several pills after finishing her soup, praying that they would quickly provide her with even the slightest bit of relief.

"Thank you for the dinner, Kagome," InuYasha said as she cleared away their plates. He watched her wash and dry them with a frown, knowing she shouldn't still be up and moving.

"Of course," she mumbled, trying to ignore the fact that she was growing increasingly weaker. Her head was throbbing, and despite the feeling that her skin might burn her alive, an intense chill coursed through her body. "Thermometer…"

"What was that?"

"Can you get me…my thermometer," she asked him. "It's in my first aid…kit…" She closed her eyes and sat back down in her chair, stifling a groan.

"What's it look like again?"

"The skinny glass stick," she answered as he began digging through her large medical kit. "It's in a white box…"

"Found it," he declared, rushing it back to her. "Here."

"Take it out of the box and run it under some cold water." She smiled weakly when he just stared at her. "The faucets on the sink…turn the right one."

"The whats?"

The next several minutes continued as such, with Kagome patiently but frustratingly explaining how to use the sink and wash the thermometer properly. InuYasha was internally furious and humiliated, not used to being so lost and helpless, especially in front of Kagome. But he tried to bite back his pride and understand the instructions she mumbled to him, just thankful that Miroku wasn't around to see this. When the glass thermometer was finally ready for use, he brought it over to her with a self-satisfied smile.

"Finally," she joked, giving a quiet laugh when his eyes narrowed and his smile shifted into yet another frown. "Oh, lighten up."

"Take it."

She thanked him and carefully took the rod from him, grasping it tightly as she began to vigorously shake it.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Bringing the…temperature down," she answered as if it automatically made perfect sense. And it did, just not to him.

"Doesn't that thing go on your tongue?" he asked, pointing to his own tongue. "I saw you doing that to Miroku once after he'd taken saimyoshou venom."

"Yes, well, you didn't see me do this part then," she shrugged, satisfied when she saw the mercury line was slightly below 95°F. "Okay."

"Now what?" he asked, confused when she handed it back to him.

"You stick it under my tongue and hold it there for three minutes."

He let out a loud gulp as she closed her eyes and opened her mouth wide enough to see her slick, pink tongue. It had been several weeks, but he could still distinctly remember the sweet taste her mouth held. He hadn't kissed her since that early morning, mainly because they could never find a moment away from Sango and Miroku's constant stares, but he'd also just been afraid. The silence of the air suddenly became piercing, as he became acutely aware of the fact that he was standing with Kagome in her kitchen, in her empty house, that would remain empty until the following day. He gulped again.

"InuYasha, are you going to make me do this myself?" she complained, drawing his attention back to her. With shaking fingers he slipped the thermometer into her mouth and held it steady as she closed her lips around it, letting out a sigh.

"I hathe thaking my themperathure," she grumbled, and he smiled a little as some of his tension dissipated. She was adorable.

Three long minutes later, he pulled the thermometer out and held it up into the light, squinting his eyes to read the numbers. Kagome had taught him to count and to read numbers over the months, and he was proud that he was able to confidently answer her when she asked what it said.

"101.7°F"

"What?" she shrieked, wincing as it seemed to hurt her throat. "Are you sure? Give me that!"

"Why, is that bad?" he questioned, scrunching his eyebrows together when she frantically read the little numbers herself.

"Oh no, you were right," she said, pressing a hand to her forehead and groaning. "Yes, it's bad. Normal temperature is 98.6°F. I have a really bad fever!"

"We already knew that," he stated, wondering if he should suddenly feel more concerned. Kagome freaking out wasn't the most encouraging sign.

"I need to stay warm," she mumbled somewhat to herself, limping frantically to the sink to clean the thermometer again and then glancing up at the clock hanging from one of the walls. "7:30. I'll take a bath…and get more blankets. Blankets! Oh! InuYasha will need—"

"Will you calm down before you give yourself a stroke?" he interrupted her, putting his hands on her shoulders to slow her down. "You're going to overwork yourself. You shouldn't be up and running, anyway."

She looked defiant for a moment, but then sighed in defeat and slumped against him, content to let his arms encircle her in a warm hug. "Yeah, you're right."

"Good. Now, what are we going to do next?"

She flushed deeper, her cheeks already pink from her fever. "Umm…I was going to take a bath, if that's alright."

He felt his expression parallel hers. "Oh. Oh, I mean, yes of course."

After a moment's awkward pause, she grabbed his hand and began walking away, pulling him toward the room he remembered as the bathroom. "I'll show you how to fill the bath, in case you want to take one later. I'm sure you wouldn't want to use my water," she mumbled as an afterthought.

"I don't mind," he answered awkwardly, but honestly. His heart was beginning to pound in his chest, and he couldn't understand why. There just seemed to be something so much more intimate about the idea of Kagome taking a bath in her own house, rather than out in the wilderness in the hot springs that she'd come to grow attached to. He'd seen her bathe before, often on accident, but twice on purpose, although the first of those was before he'd been romantically attracted to her. Regardless, he'd never failed to notice that Kagome was a remarkably beautiful girl, with a beautiful body, though he'd only seen her from a distance. The intensity of those memories hit him full force now as she slid open the screen door leading to the bathroom and pulled him inside.

"You remember what soap is now, right?" she asked him suddenly, and he scowled and she laughed at his expression. They both remembered the evening that InuYasha had stayed at Kagome's house while she studied for a test, and she'd made him take a bath with Souta to keep him busy. Or at least, tried to take a bath would be the proper phrasing. He'd discovered manually hot water, soap, and shampoo, and hadn't been particularly fond of any of them.

"Ha ha. Go ahead and laugh all you want," he grumbled, slightly satisfied when her laughter transitioned into coughing.

"You have to admit it was funny," she smiled after calming her throat down. And flustering, she added mentally, remembering how he'd burst through her door dripping wet and furious, and absolutely naked. She'd kicked him out almost immediately amidst screaming and throwing various school supplies, but she had still seen him. And it was definitely a memory she wasn't about to forget. "You looked about as miserable as a wet cat."

"Yeah, well, whatever the hell that shit was got in my eyes, and it fucking hurt," he complained defensively.

"Baby."

He shot her another dirty glare and she smiled cheekily at him, although the usual energetic spark was missing from her eyes. She was far more exhausted than she was letting on, and he didn't like that she was trying to hide it from him. If her mother had been home, she surely would have collapsed into a heap by now, as was the original point of her coming home. To rest. But, a bath would surely feel relaxing to her, he figured. She'd always told him they were, and when it came to hot springs he wasn't about to argue. That girl was obsessed with bathing.

He watched as she leaned over the bathtub and turned on the faucet, explaining which direction to turn it for the different temperatures and how to stop it. It was like the kitchen faucets; seemed simple enough. He listened and watched, the entire time fighting the images of her that attempted to flash across his mind as he was reminded of the situation they were in. He was more than fairly certain that if Kagome's mother had been home, he also would not be sitting on the tiled floor of the bathroom as Kagome prepared to take a bath.

Once the tub was filled, she brought him into her bedroom and told him to stay there until she was done. Buyo was asleep on her bed, and InuYasha contented himself with stroking the cat's soft fur as Kagome staggered her way around, picking up an extra towel and a pair of pajamas before she limped her way out of the room with a promise that she wouldn't take too long.

She grabbed her first aid kit off the kitchen table and brought it into the toilet room next to the bathroom, setting it on the sink counter with a sigh. Her side was still throbbing from her fall, despite the neutralizing herbs Kaede had placed in the gauze wrapped around it. She'd said the wrapping wouldn't last long, and that the wound would need to be properly cleaned upon her arrival home, which she'd neglected to do until now. She lifted her shirt up and sighed again, tenderly pressing her fingers against her side. It was going to be painful changing it, and she'd never cleaned and wrapped a wound on her own body. She was excellent at tending to others' wounds, but not her own. Kaede always took care of hers, as she had now, but it wasn't enough this time.

Kagome tried gingerly to begin removing the gauze, already feeling miserable enough due to her illness, but the added pain now almost made her want to throw up. It was the worst possible combination, and with an unwilling resignation she concluded that she couldn't do this on her own.

With one last aggrieved sigh, she picked up her medical kit again and walked back to her room. When she opened the door she saw InuYasha lying on her bed with Buyo curled up on his stomach, flipping through her math textbook with an expression somewhere between confusion and distaste. It was an adorable picture, and she smiled to herself as he noticed her and immediately put the book down. She loved seeing his relaxed and open side, where he wasn't afraid to be curious or vulnerable near her. It made her feel trusted, which she knew she was. It was truly remarkable how far InuYasha had come over the past seven months, from the cold and indifferent hanyou that had attacked her upon their meeting to the still rough but sweet and trusting person that she now loved with her whole heart.

"You done already?" he asked her now with suspicion, eyeing her school uniform and still dry hair.

"No," she mumbled, beginning to grow self-conscious.

"Then what do you need?"

She blushed and held out her first aid kit to him. "Help. Please."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Help?"

She nodded and gestured to her side, and saw that his eyes held recognition. "Kaede told me to clean and rewrap it, but…well…I can't do it by myself."

Rather than mocking or taunting her as she semi-expected him to, he gently pushed Buyo off his chest and got up, taking the kit from her without hesitation. "Alright. Should we go to another room?"

"Yeah, probably," she agreed, realizing that she really didn't want to chance getting blood on her carpet. She followed behind him silently as he started down the hallway, her heart beginning to pound wildly as she thought ahead to the next few minutes. Not only were his hands going to be tenderly caring to her skin, but the injury was stretched far along her side, and it would be difficult to prevent blood from staining her shirt if she kept it on. He'd seen her naked before, she reasoned, so this would be nothing. But, they'd kissed now. She knew she was in love with him and was fairly certain that he was in love with her. The memory of that morning suddenly struck her with shocking clarity, and she felt the breath in her lungs escape her in a sharp gasp.

"Kagome?"

InuYasha had quickly turned around in response to her violent breathing, raising his eyebrows at her. "You okay?"

"Yes," she stuttered, coughing to halt her gasps. "Just…choked on some air."

He looked at her skeptically before stepping into the kitchen and dropping the first aid kit on the table. "Table alright?"

"Y-yes."

While he had his back turned to her, pulling out the various materials they'd need, Kagome took an internal deep breath and squared her shoulders. _I can't believe I'm doing this. This fever must've really messed with my head. _

But, she did only have the one uniform, she reasoned. And the last time she'd gotten blood on it, as InuYasha's blood had drenched it as he hugged her, it had taken her mother days to bleach it back to normal, and she wasn't so sure if it would work again. And the uniforms were so expensive to replace…_Better get this over with._

"Hey Kagome, does this bottle have the-" InuYasha began to ask, but as he turned to face her, he was abruptly silenced and the bottle slipped from his grasp, colliding with the floor with a loud smash. "What the _hell_ are you doing?"

She instantly pulled her shirt, which she'd succeeded in getting halfway off, back down, her face burning a fiery scarlet.

InuYasha felt his heart begin pounding as his own face flushed red, his eyes wide and unblinking as they stared at her. She stared back, her eyes also wide and shining with the embarrassment of being caught.

After a long, frozen moment of gazing, they realized what they were doing and instantly looked away, their awkwardness returned tenfold.

InuYasha stared at the ceiling and gulped, trying to dismiss the fresh image of Kagome now imbedded in his mind, as she kept her eyes trained on her hands, fiddling with the tie on her shirt. They were silent for another moment before Kagome spoke.

"I didn't want to get blood on it."

"What?"

"On my uniform…it's hard to get off."

He still hadn't looked at her. "Of course."

"I'm sorry."

"I don't mind."

Her eyes instantly flashed to his face, embarrassment and shock clinging to her features. He returned her stare in reaction, and with a recognition instantly began stuttering in his usual defensive manner.

"I didn't mean– You know I– Fuck, Kagome, stop your staring. I didn't mean it like that!"

"I know!" she responded automatically, and they each fell silent again.

Another moment passed, and InuYasha leaned down to pick up the cracked bottle, placing it back on the table and refusing again to meet Kagome'e eyes. He wasn't quite sure what to say, because every option that came to his mind automatically made him sound like Miroku. And that was the opposite of what he intended.

She saved him from his dilemma though, by quietly mumbling as she played again with the silk ties. "Umm…if you, I mean, if you really don't mind…"

He didn't answer, and continued to keep his gaze aimed away from her, but gave a slight nod. He could see in his peripheral vision as she carefully pulled the shirt off, tempted to look when he heard the crinkling of the material and Kagome wincing in pain.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

He finally focused his attention on her, and she was looking down again, carefully folding her shirt. So much of her creamy pale skin was exposed; the beautiful lines of her shoulders and neck, her developing hips, the swell of her full breasts beneath the white lace of her bra. He felt his chest constrict as he looked at her, his breath hitching uncomfortably in the back of his throat. She was so beautiful.

But, the thick strips of gauze wrapped around her abdomen were also revealed, and as his focus settled on them he internally cringed and a wave of guilt washed over him. He knew it wasn't his fault that she'd fallen, but it was his fault for not watching her closely enough. She said she'd tried to tell him she was sick, and he'd ignored her.

"Does it...can you help?" she asked him now quietly.

"Of course I can."

"Okay."

Kagome lifted herself onto the table, sitting on the edge and staring at him with insecurity and nervousness clear on her face, a delicate blush coloring her cheeks.

"Hey," he murmured, pushing a strand of her raven hair behind her ear. "I won't hurt you."

"I know you won't."

"Then don't look so afraid."

He placed his strong, masculine hands on her fragile shoulders and rubbed soothing circles into her skin until most of her tension subsided. When her posture relaxed, he moved his hands down to her sides and began to gently unwrap the tight gauze. He was entirely focused on not hurting her further, and also just using that focus as a distraction from the fact that his body was now extremely close to hers, and his face was now level with her extremely distracting breasts.

"Does that hurt?" he asked her as she let out a sharp breath.

"Don't worry about it," she answered quickly, the pain obvious in her voice.

InuYasha frowned but continued unwrapping, knowing that it would be best to get this done as quickly as possible for the sake of preventing Kagome's extended misery. His hands moved quickly, at times accidentally coming into contact with her skin, which caused them each to give little breaths of surprise. Her skin was so warm though...too warm. He recalled her saying how bad her fever was.

Kagome sat in careful silence as he worked, enjoying being attended to with such care, and especially by InuYasha. The pain and closeness were endurable because it was him, and she gradually found herself growing less self-conscious as the time passed.

_The awkwardness disappeared, and I kept my shirt clean, which saves an explanation to my mom_, she thought to herself, relatively pleased. _I knew it was a good idea, fever-minded or not._

As he reached the last layer of bandage, the blood stains became thicker and the metallic smell increased. The green, leafy herbs Kaede had packed into the gauze were revealed and fell out onto the floor, and Kagome sucked in another breath, trying to ignore the building coughs in her throat.

"You got really scraped up," InuYasha commented, ever so carefully removing the final layer. As her pure skin came into sight and the entire image of her sitting on the table - in his hands, in her bra - came together, he felt his own breath escape him in one ragged burst. But her scrapes quickly distracted his focus again, the beginnings of a bloody scar waiting for his attendance.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you," he mumbled, grabbing a washcloth off the table and taking it over to the sink to run it under warm water. He needed to be away from her for a moment, to ease his guilt.

InuYasha was beginning to wonder that he wasn't good or strong enough for Kagome. He knew in his heart that he was, but it was becoming increasingly harder to believe with each injury or illness or kidnapping that Kagome was forced to endure. He was letting her slip away, even though he was trying harder than ever to keep her protected and secure. He was losing her in front of his eyes, just as he'd lost Kikyo. He'd promised himself to never let that happen again, but control seemed to slip from his fingers each time he managed to grab it, and the consequences were becoming increasingly dangerous. Maybe he really wasn't enough, but if he knew one thing, it was that he would die trying to be.

Without a word, he squeezed the excess water from the cloth and brought it back to her, gently pressing the material against her wounds and wiping the blood free. It stung quite smartly, and Kagome wanted to let out a little cry, but she knew that it would only make him feel even worse, so she bit her tongue and closed her eyes tightly to fend off the pain. She was so grateful to him, especially at this moment, as he so slowly and meticulously cleaned her injured flesh without complaint. It was far more than he owed her, and already she was thinking of what she could do to thank him.

"Thank you so much for doing this, InuYasha," she murmured, starting with the simple and obvious.

"It's my responsibility," he responded shortly, still sounding troubled.

"You know this isn't your fault. Please don't let it bother you."

There was a long moment of silence before he spoke.

"No, I could have prevented this by protecting you like I'm supposed to." He let his hands drop from her sides, and they settled on her thighs as he leaned forward to press his forehead against hers. "I can't get distracted and lose focus, even for a second. That would be more than enough time for you to be killed. And I won't let that happen." _Not again_, he silently added.

_Kikyo, huh?_ Kagome thought sadly to herself. _Oh, InuYasha, you'll never be able to forgive yourself for her death, will you? And that wasn't your fault, either. Why can't you believe in yourself?_

"Hey," she rasped gently, looking up into his eyes. "You haven't lost me yet. I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

They hadn't kissed since that day in the trees, and since then Kagome had wondered if things had gone back to the way they were before. She'd caught him staring at her more often than before, but they'd said no more declarations of affection, and exchanged no more embraces filled with security and love. But here they were now, and the moment hung so heavy in the air, writhing for an explosion.

She pressed her forehead harder against his, enjoying how his longer bangs tickled the tops of her cheeks. She wasn't sure what else to say, and he'd had no response to her words other than closing his eyes and letting his tense posture relax. She felt her heartbeat begin to speed up as she tilted her head so slightly so that her lips could reach his. He had been the one that had kissed her both times before, and she was slightly frightened to take the initiative, but confidence and natural instinct took over with ease as she let herself lean into him and find him.

InuYasha wasn't surprised by the kiss - he had sensed it coming, and accepted it with desperation. He was only surprised that she had found the courage to take that leap. He recalled how terrified he'd been to kiss her that first time, but how comforting and rewarding it had been. He was starving for affection now, as pitiful and weak as was imaginable, filled with self-loathing and anger. Her hands, now clinging to his shoulders, were such promises of security and stability as his world began tearing apart, the ground so shaky beneath his feet. He'd been running from his fears and failures, denying their gravity and intensity for fear of being torn apart himself, but Kagome gave him such strength. He kissed her back with a fervor, so hungry for her strength, and finally accepting that he needed her as much, if not more, as she needed him.

Kagome gave a gasp of surprise as he pushed himself harder against her, grabbing her thighs and pulling her to him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, aware and accepting of the growing desperation of the kiss. She knew he'd been struggling more than he'd let her see, and she knew that this was what he needed. He'd been fighting his existence as long as she'd known him, and almost certainly for his entire life; fighting to prove that he was worthy. Fighting to be accepted. He hated that he craved acceptance, hated that he couldn't be indifferent and uncaring. His pride had restricted him from admitting to it, but she knew. And if it was his responsibility to look after her, then it was hers to look after him. He needed to know how accepted and loved he was.

They were each out of breath, each panting and burning as the fire consumed them, but it wasn't enough. InuYasha ran his fingers along her sides, so gently caressing her right side where the wounds decorated her skin. She hissed in pain, and he bit down on her lip, puncturing it with his fangs as she dug her fingernails into his shoulders. His animal instinct reacted, and he raised his hands to her breasts, instantly pressing against them and squeezing them through her bra. She released a high-pitched gasp, and he slammed his mouth back against hers with enough force to nearly knock her over.

She bit him back this time, biting hard enough to draw blood. A deep, guttural growl ripped from his throat, and Kagome felt herself growing faint as he continued to roughly massage her breasts. The intensity was overwhelming, and she was beginning to feel her illness as each second weakened her.

Her fever!

Her eyes shot wide open as a crushing wave of panic struck her. She was incredibly sick, and she was reckless enough to kiss InuYasha without even thinking of the consequences. _Oh no! What if he gets sick, too?_

"InuYasha," she tried to call him, her voice instantly drowned out as he pressed his lips back against hers.

She pushed against his chest, trying to use all of her strength, and managed to break free of the kiss again. She felt terrible for having to stop him, because she knew how good this was for them both. Their kisses secured in them their need and desire for each other, and built crucial trust and reliance for the other. And, now Kagome was assured of the fact that their relationship had unquestionably progressed from friends to an actual relationship, which made her ridiculously happy when she truly focused on that statement. But there would be time for that later - time when she was healthy.

"InuYasha," she tried again, and this time he seemed to hear her.

He pulled back and stared at her in confusion, obviously still overwhelmed by the moment. She just stared back at him until a spark of clarity lit his eyes, and his expression of contentment instantly shifted to horror. He ripped his hands from her chest and pried her legs off him, his face burning red in mortified shock.

"Holy fuck!" he shouted, about to turn away from her. But she shot out her arm to grab his and pulled him back to her, her own face tinted red with chagrin.

"Kagome, I am so sorry. I didn't even...fuck." He buried his face in his hands, rubbing furiously and pushing his silver hair back.

"Sorry for what?" she asked, turning redder when he just stared at her in further shock.

"You're not angry?" he responded in disbelief.

"No," she said simply. "I just...I don't want you to get sick."

"Me? Sick?" He rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to gain back his breath. "I thought we went over this already."

"I know, but that was for just being around each other," she mumbled. "I didn't think...I mean, I didn't know that we would..."

There was an awkward silence as they both registered what had just happened. Suddenly Kagome was once again very self-aware and self-conscious of the fact that she wasn't wearing a shirt.

"I just wouldn't want you to get my cold," she explained clumsily.

"Of course," he agreed, simply for the sake of keeping a conversation going as a distraction. But she was still sitting there, all flushed and beautiful, with the red imprints of where his hands had crushed her skin, and the swollen red lips now adorned with the bite of his fangs. At least his mind was distracted from his depression now. "That was...just, holy fuck."

She gave a nervous smile in return, and they both awkwardly exchanged a look of mutual understanding. But then the moment broke and they were back to busied ignorance, moving far too quickly and energetically. If anyone, especially Miroku, had been around, it would have been clearer than day to see that something had happened.

"Fucking hell, it started bleeding again."

"What?"

"Your wounds," InuYasha said, drawing her attention back to them. "It's my fault."

"Don't worry about it," she shook her head, stopping him before he could even begin to retreat back to that dark cloud. "I'll just take my bath and I'll be fine. I kind of forgot about the salt."

"The what?" he asked as she hopped to the floor and hurriedly dug around in her first aid kit, producing a carton with the words Epsom Salt printed on it.

"This is special salt," she explained to him, thankful again for a distraction. "You're supposed to take a bath in salt water when you have a fresh wound. This will help...but, you're definitely going to want to use fresh water if you take a bath. Sorry." Her blush deepened a little and she chewed on her bottom lip, wincing when she found how sore it was. "Ouch."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she stuttered, answering without really thinking. "You bit me."

He turned red again. "You bit me back."

Cue the awkward silence again. Only this time, they were smart enough to not let it last.

"I'm going to go," she said, squeezing his arm as she passed him. "You can just relax in my room like you were doing, if you want."

He frowned at her. "Isn't there anything I can do to help you?"

Kagome smiled sincerely at him. "You're already helping me." She leaned up on her toes to give him a chaste kiss, finding that she was already becoming unnaturally relaxed with the idea. It was comforting, and slightly liberating.

"I feel like I should be doing more," he complained. "Not that I care what that damn monk says, but he and Sango sent me here to take care of you, and you've been doing all the work."

"Well you're going to rewrap this for me after my bath, right?" When he nodded, she pursed her lips, ignoring the stinging sensation it caused. "I guess you could help me with my laundry."

He wasn't quite sure what she meant by that, but decided to go along with it. He listened as she explained that all of her clothes from the past two weeks needed to be washed, and that they were still jammed in her backpack, which had been moved to her room. She told him how much detergent to put in the washing machine, and what to set the dials to, asking if he'd be able to remember everything.

"Thanks so much, you'd really be helping me out," she rasped, ducking her head as she began coughing. She gave him an apologetic smile and disappeared into the hallway, heading toward the bathroom.

It was only after she'd left that he truly focused on what she'd said. His mind was still so caught up in their heavy kissing, and he hadn't really been able to register much more. But as he ran through her instructions in his head, a sinking feeling washed over him.

"What the fuck is a washing machine?"


	3. Red Steam

(A/N): WOW. Has it really been six months? I am a terrible, terrible human being. I do apologize. Sincerely. I have no excuse other than the fact that I am one of the LAZIEST writers on the planet. And possibly the stars. And I've been distracted by quite a few things. But, I am lazy, too. ANYWAY. Well, I'm eighteen now. Have been since the end of March. And, I've graduated high school. Have been since the beginning of June. And there's much to say about the end of high school, but that's long and boring and overly emotional and you needn't worry about it. So, I'll move along to the story. YAY ANOTHER CHAPTER FINALLY. I've honestly had the first part of this chapter (aka until like when Kagome hears InuYasha shouting down the hall) done since February...and then I just couldn't finish it. So, today (well, and yesterday, seeing as it's 2:38am) I just sat myself down and wrote the rest of it. YAY! I'm much more InuYasha inspired lately, seeing as I finally finished reading the manga about a month ago. And it was beautiful. And now I'm at long last allowed to watch the anime, so I'm enjoying doing that as well. BUT. YES. CHAPTER. DONE. MANY MORE TO COME. I SWEAR ON INUYASHA'S FATHER'S GRAVE THAT IT WILL NOT TAKE ME ANOTHER SIX MONTHS TO UPDATE. But, again, I am lazy. And I'll be starting college in a month and that will take up much of my time. BUT I'LL TRY HARDER :D So, to any of you still around, please READ, ENJOY, AND REVIEW!

OH YEAH. And because some people might not be familiar with the Japanese clothing terms, InuYasha's clothing is simple. His haori is the red jacket we always see him in. His kosode is the long-sleeved white kimono-like shirt he wears under the haori. And his hakama are his AMAZING red pants. Hakama are bomb. I would know. I was Kikyo for Halloween this past year, and she, too, has bomb hakama.

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha. He and all of his incredible gorgeous perfection and sexiness sadly belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Well, Kagome really...but yeah, if we're being technical. Then they both belong to Takahashi-sama. I claim only my burning and undying love for them.

* * *

><p>Kagome sighed in contentment as she stretched herself out in the bath. The water, so warm, was soothing and comforting, and the salt sizzled in healing as it enveloped her wounds. It was so nice to relax after days of intense and unrelenting fighting and traveling, and her entire body ached in exhaustion.<p>

_Not that I mind it too much_, she thought to herself. _I would never give up my life in the feudal era. With InuYasha…_

She sighed again and leaned her head back to rest on the rim of the tub, staring up at the ceiling blankly. Her lips still tingled with the taste and intensity of his kiss, and she unconsciously lifted her hand to them to run her fingers along their swollen length.

He'd kissed her so vigorously, crushing her under so much power and lust; she was still slightly rattled by it. Never had she expected him to be so aggressive. Not that she minded it too much.

Her gaze drifted down to her breasts, which were also still sore. A feather light touch wracked a shiver down her spine, proving how hypersensitive they still were after enduring InuYasha's ruthless pawing. She was physically and emotionally spent, but as she laid there, and uncontrollable giddiness coursed through her as she reflected on the intimate interaction. The only thing that she could think of, as a small smile spread across her tired lips and she sank further into the silkiness of the bath, was the ironic phrase: _What would my mother say?_

* * *

><p>"Holy fucking hell."<p>

InuYasha glared at the machine in front of him, a bitter scowl creasing down his lips. He'd finally figured out the room Kagome had described to him; a small room near the back of the house with only a sink and a large metal machine pressed against the wall, various baskets and basins stacked on a counter under a shelf cramped with boxes and bottles. The machine had to be the washing machine; it was the only logical explanation. But he hadn't the faintest idea what anything else in the room was or how it was used for.

"Fucking hell," he repeated with a frustrated sigh. He dropped Kagome's bag, which he'd brought from her room, on the floor and reached up to the shelf, grabbing a blue cardboard box and pulling it down. Bold black lettering adorned the front of the box, and InuYasha released another frustrated growl. His reading skills were minimal, and he'd come to grow dependent on Kagome when signs and books presented themselves back home. He suddenly remembered why he hated the present. Half of one day in Kagome's time cost him a decade's worth of hits to his pride.

Falling back on his natural investigative instincts, he shook the box, noting that a loose solid filled it. A closer inspection proved it to be a white powder, and one that tasted horrifically disgusting. He took a small amount on his tongue, and at once began desperately attempting to dispel it, throwing the box against the far wall and choking on the rancid taste with exaggerated retching sounds. He found some small satisfaction as the box exploded in a massive cloud of white powder upon contact, signifying his victory against the alien substance. But what was it?

_Leave it to Kagome to not give me easy instructions_, he thought to himself, trying to remember what she'd said to him. Metal washing machine, detergent in a blue container…something about color and size knobs…

He glanced back to the wounded blue box. Was that the detergent she'd mentioned? But what the hell was detergent? And there were two other blue containers on the shelf; another box and a plastic bottle.

_Feh. What a mess,_ he thought to himself. _Well, she said something about putting her clothes in the washing machine. I can do that, at least._

It took several more painfully frustrating minutes, but InuYasha finally figured out how to open the latched metal door on the machine, with only minor injury and cursing. With an angry huff, he flipped his long silver hair over his shoulder and stomped over to her backpack, tearing it open and beginning to dig through it. It was truly remarkable how much she managed to stuff into that bag, and it was so densely packed, he was having difficulty finding the cloth bundle she said would contain her clothes. After struggling another minute, he just gave up and flipped the bag upside down, dumping the entire contents onto the floor.

Foreign and slightly familiar objects littered the ground, crowding every corner of his vision. He recognized Kagome's two hairbrushes, her little bag of makeup Sango and she were always fussing over, hair ties and notebooks, a journal and two textbooks, her flashlight and umbrella, two cups of instant ramen, a towel and small bag of soaps and bathing utensils, a water bottle and bento box…so many things he'd begun to grow accustomed to. But there were new and unfamiliar things as well; a metal and plastic looking contraption with a large glass lens, enclosed in a black cloth case, a brightly colored cardboard box boasting some strange skinny white things, a long skinny strip of leather with a round ticking contraption in the middle…he'd have to remember to ask Kagome what all of these new things were, but for now he just contented himself with taking the ramen and stuffing them in his haori. She wouldn't even notice they were gone.

Finally, he found the blue fabric sack containing her clothes, her sweet and heady scent still clinging to the garments within. He took extra care as he transported them into the metal machine, his skin burning as he picked up her undergarments. They were a new thing to him still, as were the rest of her strange clothes, but he was distinctly aware of the foreignism of her bras, remembering how Kikyo would always bind her breasts with long, thin strips of cloth. When he'd asked her why she did that, she'd responded that it was mainly for feminine modesty, and then she'd tapped him on the nose with a laugh. He smiled slightly at the memory, feeling some of his frustration fade as her light laughter once more rang in his ears. And then its pitch heightened, transitioning into the sweet and captivating laughter of the girl bathing several doors away. The second girl that had succeeded in capturing his grief-ridden heart.

He quickly shook his head to dispel his present thoughts, and tried to return to the task at hand. He fixed a hard stare at the now clothes-filled washing machine, his lips once again distorting into a stiff frown. If only he knew what that damn detergent was…

* * *

><p>About thirty minutes had passed since Kagome began her bath, and she vaguely worried and wondered if InuYasha was alright. She knew how important and easily agitated he was, but the warm water and steam surrounding her were so intoxicating and she couldn't help but let them assuage her concerns. InuYasha could take care of himself. He'd been without her for hundreds of years, after all.<p>

Though he had seemed to be becoming increasingly attached to her lately. Not that she minded. She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face as she thought about the fact that she'd somehow managed to capture the attention and affection of the stubbornest, most stoic, and most romantically clueless man she had ever met – perhaps that the world had ever known.

A loud crash down the hall startled her from her daydreams, and she quickly sat up in her bath, the water making a loud swishing noise at the sharp movement.

Yelling was heard following the ominous burst of silence that followed, and she heard InuYasha's livid curses muffled through the walls of the room. Another silence passed, and then the rapid and pounding footsteps of the hanyou raced down the hallway, not slowing down as they passed the door to the bathroom. Kagome's heart was beating quickly with concern as she stared at the door, wondering what in the world was going on outside.

"InuYasha?" she called hesitantly, a touch of fear in her voice.

There was no answer, and after a minute the footsteps returned, running the opposite direction back toward the laundry room. There was a clanking sound accompanied with the steps, like something made of metal being thrashed around. Kagome made the instant decision to investigate, and she pulled herself from the warmth and comfort of the bathwater and tied on a robe before racing for the door.

The hallway was abandoned, but she could hear noises coming from the room she'd entrusted to InuYasha. Beginning to doubt her complete confidence in him, she started toward the room, stopping again as another loud curse shot from her hanyou's lips. When she turned the corner, a sight of pure disaster met her eyes.

There was soap and water everywhere, and the entire floor was flooded and bubbling white. The neatly lined containers resting on the shelf above the washing machine had all been knocked over or destroyed, their contents spilling onto the ground and into the machine. InuYasha himself was frantically attempting to scoop up the watery suds, a metal bucket in his hands, explaining the clanking she'd heard. His clothes were soaked and soapy themselves, his long silver hair drenched and dripping into the mess.

Kagome's first reaction was that of extreme shock and frustration, but it instantaneously melted into amusement as she watched the half demon struggle. He'd left the washing machine turned on, which she couldn't understand, and more and more suds continued to escape from the overflowing top and simply fill the small spaces he managed to scoop away.

She continued to watch him for several more seconds, somewhat surprised that he hadn't noticed her presence. But, he was so focused on what he was doing – or rather, attempting to do.

"InuYasha."

"Gaah!"

There was another loud crash as the metal bucket slipped from his fingers and collided with what seemed to be the metal lid to the outside trash can, which he also seemed to be using to scoop water. InuYasha himself jumped at the sound of her voice and spun around, hands held up in surrender and an expression of pure terror on his face.

"Shit, Kagome! Don't scare me like that!"

She pressed a hand to her mouth and giggled softly as he dropped his hands and pressed one to his heart. She began to cough a bit, and quickly silenced her laughter in an attempt to regain her breath.

"I'm sorry," she said with a lopsided grin. "I've never managed to sneak up on you before."

"Yeah, well that's just because I'm a bit distracted," he answered defiantly. As soon as the words had left his mouth, his eyes instantly widened again as he remembered where he was and what it was that had distracted him. "Oh, fuck."

"Yeah, why am I apologizing, hmm?" Kagome raised an eyebrow. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"

"It's not my fault!" he promised. "I swear!"

"Then who made this mess?" she asked. "Did the washing machine turn evil and attack you?"

"Very funny."

"Okay then, what?"

"This is your fault, too!"

"What?" she repeated. "You're blaming me?"

"You didn't explain things to me!"

"Don't be ridiculous," she said, pushing past him to reach the machine so she could turn it off. "I told you everything you needed to know. Regardless of the fact that everything in my era is foreign to you. Were you not listening?"

"No, I was," he answered instantly, but then he frowned.

"What is it?"

When he didn't answer, she sloshed her way back to him and grabbed the front of his haori. The water on the floor was freezing, and it reached to her ankles, giving her a shock compared to the steaming water of her bath. It seemed he hadn't figured out how to turn on the hot water.

"You _were_ listening, weren't you?" she asked again, a bit more severely. When he winced, she let out a low groan. "InuYasha."

"I was listening, I promise!" he said, pushing her hands away. "I was just a bit…distracted."

"Again?"

His cheeks flared red with embarrassment as he hotly tried to defend himself. "Yeah, well, you'd be distracted too if I was running around half naked after kissing you senseless!"

Kagome gasped as her face instantly flushed the same red, and she cried out an instinctive, "Sit!" as if by reflex.

"Gaah!"

InuYasha let out a pained yell as he slammed against the tile floor, the water crashing around him in a giant splash, some of it shooting up and soaking Kagome. The half demon sputtered and pushed himself up into a four-legged crouched position, instantly shaking his entire head and body to rid them of the water, and making him look exactly like a miserable and soaking wet dog. Water flew everywhere as he shook it off, much of it again striking Kagome as she put her hands up to protect her face.

"InuYasha!"

"Dammit, what did I do?" he replied, disgruntled. "You're the one that 'sat' me!"

She remained silent as he finally stood back up, a heavy frown pulling down his lips. His cheeks were still a faint blush, as were hers.

"You're still drenched," she said, rather than answer him.

"Feh. And whose fault is that?" he asked, flipping back his hair.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I wasn't expecting what you said."

His stiff posture loosened, and after a pause his frown vanished. "It's alright," he sighed, looking around the small room and instantly allowing the frown to return. "I am sorry about the mess, though."

"You didn't mean it," she smiled, slightly shaking her head. "So don't worry about it."

_Such a long way he's come_, she added in her head, the thought widening her smile the tiniest bit. _He used to never apologize for his mistakes. _

"Oh shit," he suddenly said, grabbing her attention. "Kagome, your robe."

"Huh?"

She looked down to where his eyes were resting, along her side and hip, and let out a small gasp at the red stain that was quickly growing there. In the adrenaline of the last few minutes, she had completely forgotten about her injury, or that it was now unsealed and unprotected.

"Jeez," she groaned. "What a pain."

Before either of them could say another word, a loud sneeze claimed Kagome, and she let out another little gasp, this time of pain, as the tremor it sent through her body struck her wound.

"This cold water isn't good for you. You need to get out of here," InuYasha said strictly, his masculine authority and protectiveness taking over. "Now."

"But what about the mess?" she tried to ask, sniffling and rubbing under her nose.

"I'll take care of it."

"But InuYasha-"

"Stop talking."

He scooped her up into his arms and without another word began carrying her back toward the bathroom.

"Did you leave the bath filled?" he asked.

"Yes, but-"

"Good."

"InuYasha, stop it. Put me down," she struggled against him weakly. "I want to help. It's too much work for you on your own, and you don't know about the-"

"It's okay, Kagome. It's my problem, and I'm not going to let you get even sicker."

"Put me down," she said more firmly, grabbing one of the front tendrils of his soaked hair. "Now."

He stopped walking and let out a deep, frustrated, sigh. "Gods, Kagome, why do you have to be such a stubborn pain in the ass sometimes."

"Because I'm trying to be a helpful pain," she responded, letting his hair go as he finally placed her back on her feet.

"Five minutes," he told her, but she had already disappeared back to the laundry room. With another disgruntled sigh, he followed after her, and when he entered the room a minute later he was shocked to see Kagome standing amongst the mess of clothes and boxes, which were now visible and scattered all across the floor. But the water was gone.

"How did-"

"There's a drain in the floor, for instances such as this," she sniffled simply. "There's one in the bathroom, too."

"Why the hell didn't you mention that earlier?"

"Well, I was trying to," she retorted, shooting him a mild glare. "But, it was also just fun watching you flail around with the bucket like an idiot."

"You little brat," he scowled, but a dark smile was visible through his agitation. She gave him a sweet smile and bent down to begin picking up the assorted items littering the floor, the smile transitioning into a grimace.

"Okay, that's enough for now," he told her sternly. "Now really Kagome, come."

"You said five minutes, Mother," she said, ignoring him and picking up her soaked camera in its case. She let out a heavy sigh and held it close to her. "I knew I was right to buy a waterproof design. Thank the gods."

"That was before I knew you would drain all the water in less than a minute," he responded to her first comment, a bit gruffly due to her 'mother' snipe. "Please, Kagome. It'll be on my conscious if you get worse."

She stopped her work to look up at him, surprised by the rare sincerity in his words and on his face. She placed the camera on top of the washing machine and made her way back to him, lacing her hand through his. "Okay."

As they made their way back to the bathroom, she noticed InuYasha repeatedly looking down to her robe, and she could feel by the moisture that her scrapes were indeed bleeding quite steadily. The bath had been helping to calm them, but as soon as she'd left the protection of the water and the healing salt, her rapid movements had quickly restarted the flow of blood. It hurt, but the pain was dull due to the fact that her body was still warm and relaxed from the bath. That is, except for her feet. They were still freezing from the laundry spill.

"How are you feeling?" InuYasha asked quietly, not looking at her. His eyes were straight ahead, still guiding her back to the washroom.

"I'm okay," she told him, noticing his small grimace. Her eyes lingered on his profile, his dripping bangs plastered to his forehead, the rest of his hair clinging to his back, his clothes dyed a darker red due to the water coating them. He must have been freezing. "What about you?"

"Huh?" He looked down at her in confusion.

"Aren't you cold?" she frowned. "You're still all wet."

"It's nothing," he said dismissively.

Her frown deepened, but they reached the bathroom door in the next second and she was ushered inside. A rush of steam greeted her, sending warm tingles throughout her body, and as she glanced up she could tell InuYasha was enjoying the heat as well, though his expression barely betrayed it.

"You can't go lay down on my bed in those clothes, you know," she told him. "You'll soak the sheets."

"I wasn't planning on returning to your room," he answered.

Kagome felt her eyes widen the slightest bit, her heart skipping a beat. "Oh. Then what are you going to do?"

"I'm going back to the laundry room to finish cleaning up that mess." An irritated sigh escaped his lips, and she knew he was forcing himself to be attentive and responsible for her sake.

The thought was sweet, but she instantly noticed her heartbeat slow down and her shoulders slump at his answer. "Oh."

"Why? Is something wrong?" he asked, trapping her chin with his clawed fingers and gently tilting her face up.

She felt her cheeks flare up at his touch and concern, and the thoughts that had been passing through her mind. _I can't tell him what I was thinking, _she thought with chagrin. "No, I just…you're going to get sick," she said instead.

He gently stroked her cheek with a frown. "Kagome, we've been over this. I'm not going to get sick."

"I know, I just…"

He stared at her for another long moment before hesitantly pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, the action making each of them blush. It had been a long time since InuYasha had been romantically affectionate toward a woman, and Kagome had never had prior romantic experience. They both knew and understood that it was going to take time for them to become acquainted with these new feelings and actions. But they already felt so, so wonderful, despite the current awkwardness.

InuYasha released her chin and turned to leave, but Kagome grabbed his hand and pulled him back to her. He looked at her in incomprehension, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Kagome, is something wrong?" he repeated his earlier question.

"Don't go," she mumbled quietly.

His eyes widened and a dark flush stained his already tinted cheeks.

"Please?" she asked with tentative eyes. "It hurts, and the blood." She paused for a moment. "Your hand is like ice. You're cold."

"I'm fine," he answered, his heart beginning to pound in his chest like a cheetah.

She gave a delicate cough before leaning her weight against his chest, her head resting against his heart. She could feel it racing, but hers was surprisingly calm.

"An hour ago I would have sent you away, but…" she trailed off, not entirely certain of what she was about to say. She didn't know what had caused this sudden change of heart and trust. No, not trust. She already trusted him completely. But perhaps the sudden thought of returning to her bath alone, injured and ill, with none of her family at home to care for her, had struck her. Or perhaps it was the heartfelt kiss InuYasha had just given to her. She just couldn't bear the thought of being alone at that moment.

"Kagome, I-" InuYasha began, flustered, as he wrapped his arms around her strong but fragile figure.

"Let me stay with you," she breathed into him.

He gently stroked her obsidian hair, soaked with warm water, and didn't say a word.

* * *

><p>There were light traces of her blood mixed in the salty warmth of the bathwater, but InuYasha didn't mind in the slightest. He'd drenched her in his own blood many times before, and her blood was so much more precious and valuable than his.<p>

Kagome let out a content sigh, and he slowly returned his attention to her. They were stretched out in the long bathtub, and she was resting on top of him with her head leaned against his strong, wet chest. Her eyes were closed as she rested, and he gazed at her tranquil features and couldn't help but be overcome by a feeling of serenity himself. He tilted his head back until it touched the tile wall enclosing the tub from one side, and watched the steam rise and mix with the air surrounding them.

The silk of Kagome's pure white robe glinted beneath the water as the near stillness of the liquid flowed gracefully across the tub, and InuYasha couldn't help but be transfixed by the beauty of the girl before him. Her robe was crafted from many layers of silk, leaving her form appropriately concealed despite the color and usual transparency of the material. It hung loosely on her under the water's surface, but the tops of her breasts and her shoulders were revealed in splendid detail by shape alone. The silk clung gorgeously to those small portions of her body that were exposed to the air, and InuYasha was forced to fight his intense desire to run his fingers along her collarbones and dip them between her plump breasts.

Kagome sighed again, this time opening her eyes so she could gaze up at the hanyou. She lifted one of her hands from under the water to reach up and stroke his jaw, hundreds of tiny droplets falling and glimmering from her arm and rippling the bath.

"Hey," she breathed softly, convinced by the hanyou to preserve her voice. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing really," he responded, masking his desire. "Enjoying the warmth."

She smiled. "See, I told you you were cold."

He rolled his eyes. "Feh."

A light laugh danced from her lips, making his own lips curve into a small smile.

"I'm sorry about your robe, though," he commented absently, watching as her breasts heaved slightly with her laughter.

"It was already ruined," she sighed, her joy cut short. "Blood and silk are a terrible combination. But, so are hot water and silk, so I didn't exactly try to help."

She twisted onto her left side, leaving the bloody stain exposed as she readjusted herself, finally satisfied once her head was curved onto InuYasha's shoulder. He stared at the red mark, and the wound that was hidden beneath, as Kagome ran her fingers up and down his chest. He released a quiet growl of satisfaction, and she smiled again before tucking her hands back at his side.

They'd been resting as such for about thirty minutes, simply enjoying the peace and the other's company. And the heat, brought on by the warm water, and their extreme physical proximity. At first, InuYasha had been uncertain and nervous by what Kagome had meant when she'd said she wanted to bathe together. But, he'd sighed with relief and perhaps slight disappointment when he found she had meant just that. She had left on her robe and he had only stripped himself of his red haori and the white kosode he wore underneath, leaving his red hakama on. He had almost wanted to laugh at the thought that anymore more would happen; Kagome was as pure and innocent as she appeared. And he knew that with time that would change, and their relationship would tear down boundary after boundary as it progressed, but he didn't want to frighten Kagome or pressure her. And if he was being entirely honest, he was frightened himself.

"InuYasha?"

He was pulled from his thoughts once again as Kagome murmured his name. He looked down at her and she was staring up at him again, this time with her eyebrows furrowed in concern and curiosity.

"Are you sure you don't have something on your mind?"

He smiled again, brushing a wet strand of her hair from her cheek. "No, but now that you mention it, I suppose I'm just thinking about how nice this feels."

She felt her face flush as he continued to smile serenely at her, and she quickly averted her eyes, focusing instead on the hard, glistening muscles of his chest. "It is nice."

"You know, months ago, before Sango or even Miroku had joined us, Shippo asked me why I didn't bathe with you," InuYasha began, his tone becoming somewhat lighter.

"No, really?" Kagome asked, laughing once as her eyes flashed back to his.

He nodded. "I promise he did. And I promise I gave him a beating for it so that he never asked again."

"Aww, InuYasha," she pouted, softly slapping water against him so that it splashed him lightly across the face and neck.

"He needed to be taught a lesson," he said smugly. "And he learned well. Men understand this type of teaching."

"You mean senseless violence?" Kagome smirked, earning a frown from the half demon.

"That kit doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut," he replied simply.

"I'm sensing some bitterness," she picked at him, her curiosity piqued. "Is there more to the story?"

"Don't worry about it," he said shortly, his face beginning to grow hot.

"Tell me," she begged, noticing his blush. "Come on, it's probably harmless. And anyway, what did you answer him?"

"I said he was too young to understand what he was saying," he replied gruffly. Then after a moment's pause, he added, "He then proceeded to ask me how far I'd gotten with you."

"Impossible," Kagome gasped, caught between shock and hysterical laughter.

InuYasha watched her as she laughed and then clutched her sides at the pain and coughing fit it caused her.

"Kagome," he said worriedly, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she coughed out, catching her breath and slumping against him in exhaustion. "I just, I can't believe little Shippo would say something like that."

"Well, I'm glad you find it amusing," he grumbled, his face still enflamed.

"And humiliating," she agreed, placing a hand on his hot cheek. "But, it's not like we had anything to hide back then."

He didn't say anything, but gently lifted her hand away and entwined it with his own. A long moment passed in silence as they both fell back into the calming lull of the steam and warm water, Kagome's eyes slipping closed.

"I don't want to move," she sighed, but a heavy yawn cut her off.

"We have to," InuYasha responded, chuckling softly at the look of pure distaste that marred her delicate features. "I don't want you to drown."

"Five more minutes," she mumbled sleepily, and before he could reply she added, "And I mean five minutes. No cheating like earlier."

"That wasn't cheating," he scoffed. "If anything, you cheated by using that drain."

"You're welcome."

As she was becoming accustomed to, he didn't answer. But when he lifted their entwined hands a minute later to press a soft kiss to hers, she knew that she was forgiven.


End file.
